Cart Paths That End Abruptly Never End Well……

Columns - Design Concepts

I thought the idea above had made it in to the “Book of Common Wisdom in Golf Course Design” long ago. However, now that I am renovating more older courses, I find not everyone has read that book. Specifically, I am amazed at how many courses with partial paths only at tees and greens have problems that could be avoided with proper design, so I dedicate this column to explaining the concept again.

As shown in the first image, paths that end just after the forward tee experience very concentrated wear. Extending a few feet with gravel or adding a “helicopter pad” after turf has worn bare only extends the problem to another location.

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One of my earliest lessons in golf architecture was that walkers and carts predictably take the straightest line possible to their next destination. If there are any vertical obstructions or blockage, they will take the shortest, most level route. If the next tee is on the right of their green, they will drive right (barring substantial curbs), regardless of where your path is. Off the tee, they will stay on the path until they can take a straight line to their landing spot. The second image shows a better – but still not perfect – example of this principle in action. The arc allows carts to scatter naturally to their tee shot locations, reducing wear and compaction at a single point. It would be an even more effective design if it:

Extended well past the forward tee.

Had a longer arc and gentler radius. In this case, the tire tracks show almost exactly how much longer it would need to be to spread traffic better. It has a consistent radius. Note the long grass on left is enough of a vertical obstruction to force carts further up.

Had a maximum angle less than 45 degrees to the line of play. Check the angle of the last cart track on the right - voila, it’s 45 degrees. No one willingly drives more sideways than forward to reach their ball.

Extends/angles at least 15 degrees left of center line and 22.5 degrees right, mirroring the typical tee shot landing zones.

Has a constant arc – even short straight areas, one sharp turn, or slight kink in the alignment creates a tempting location to leave the path.

The best wear distribution occurs when the path crosses in front of the tee. Some object to the aesthetics, but it’s is often possible to hide the path from view by sloping it away from the tee, building small ridge, etc. This often requires some drainage work as well.

Owing to the “straight line rule,” an even greater problem arises at greens. There, every cart is heading for the exact same place – the end of the path. Partial cart paths here wear even faster than those leading away from the tee.

For this path, which is actually a bit better than most, it’s still a case of “too little, too late” to adequately spread traffic. Constant movement of stakes and rope is required. Again, the trick is to arc the path to intersect traffic patterns over as much length as possible. This requires a long arc, reaching back to nearly the fairway landing zone. We find that once carts are on the path, a slight deviation from their straight line is accepted. If not, a curb on the green side fixes the problem!

Each hole is different and deserves individual study. Arc length and location can be very site specific to hole length and other factors. In general, shorter holes need tighter arcs closer to the green and longer holes need longer arcs. However, a few things are constant:

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The longer a curved path extends back to the fairway landing zone, the more it spreads traffic.

As at tees, curved paths crossing the fairway provide more lineal feet of “natural” entry points and spread wear better. I know, I measured!

“Same side” paths must usually be very close the fairway, which will likely come into view from the landing zone.

Adding a second partial path on the other path on the other side of the green can divert some traffic from the far side of the fairway, reducing traffic on the main path, which at least slows down the rate of wear on the main side.

The first disadvantage to these paths is aesthetics. However, on some holes, it will be fairly easy to hide the path as you play the hole with a low ridge. Even without that special effort, often, paths more or less perpendicular to play are less visible than one stretching its length. Long flowing paths are acceptably attractive, whereas many zig zags tend to draw – and offend – the eye.

The second downside is cost. Crossing the fairway twice adds 60 to 90 yards more pavement length. Adding a second path also adds cost, but also benefits you in providing additional access points to your green, which also helps maintenance. If adding that much additional path, most will consider simply going all in, paving cart paths wall to wall, which is probably inevitable anyway. They should still follow these principles.

On the other hand, if the additional path adds $10,000 of annual debt to the project, but saves the same amount in roping and staking, it is probably worth it.

The old design axiom is “Form follows function.” When laying out paths, it’s always a compromise between “hidden” and “handy.” Low-play courses can be expected to favor “hidden” paths, but higher play courses should probably favor “handy” to assist turf wear.

If the primary function of paths is to get golfers around the course and save turf, carefully considering that aspect of design will pay long term dividends.

Jeffrey D. Brauer is a veteran golf course architect responsible for more than 50 new courses and more than 100 renovations. A member and past president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects, he is president of Jeffrey D. Brauer/GolfScapes in Arlington, Texas. Reach him at jeff@jeffreydbrauer.com.

Budgeting 2019

Columns - Game Plan

Budgeting for 2019 requires a broader-than-usual alertness to changing times and impacts on golf-oriented businesses. Newfound elasticity on revenue sources, such as dues and fees, will allow many to plan for revenue increases. That’s the good news. More sobering is the fact that most courses and clubs will strain to cover the rapidly accelerating costs of operations.

While it’s helpful to know that costs are rising, budget planners benefit even more from understanding the factors driving cost increases. Here are five cost areas where knowledge of underlying trends and timing will lead to accurate projections.

Labor

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment Cost Index notes that wages and salaries for U.S. businesses increased 2.9 percent for the 12-month period ending in June 2018, following a 2.4 percent increase in June 2017. The cost of benefits rose 2.8 percent for the 12-month period ending in June 2018, after increasing 2.2 percent in June 2017. Employer costs for health benefits increased 1.6 percent for the same 12-month period.

Property: Previous-loss history more than doubles premiums in most markets. Clubs located in markets exposed to catastrophic claims will increase as much as three times those of non-exposed clubs, while those clubs with catastrophic experience with losses may see increases from 15 to 20 percent.

Casualty: WTW projections indicate that rates for casualty insurance will increase less than 4 percent.

Auto Liability: For clubs with automobile insurance premiums, rates are expected to rise from 5 to 9 percent. Ongoing market challenges exist in this space, and two years of steady price increases have not kept pace with loss trends and adverse developments. Rates are expected to rise more steeply.

Cyber: Golf clubs are vulnerable to cyber-risk. The WTW study notes a 15-fold increase in two years with claims near $5 billion. Organizations without claims can forecast increase of 5 percent or less.

Healthcare

“Over the past nine years, employee out-of-pocket spending for a family of four increased 69 percent in the form of higher co-pays and higher deductibles, along with 105 percent employee premium contribution growth,” Keith Lemer, CEO of WellNet Healthcare, said in an interview with CNBC earlier this year, noting that over the same period a year earlier employer premium contributions increased 62 percent.” Lemer added, “In 2008 more than 8 percent of a family’s income was spent on health care. In 2015 (last available data) it rose to 12 percent. This means people are making less money today as a direct result of the cost of health care.”

Food

The costs of food consumed at home diverged a few years ago from the costs of food served away from home – in restaurants and clubs. The U.S. Department of Agriculture predicted grocery store price increases from 1 to 2 percent. Food consumed away from home is expected to increase from 2 to 3 percent. For menu planning purposes, be aware that beef and veal are projected to rise 2 to 3 percent, egg prices will increase 4 to 5 percent, while cereal and bakery prices will go up 3 to 4 percent. The USDA expects prices for fats, fruits and vegetables to drop.

Fuel

Large consumers of fuel and oil by-products, including golf courses, will see some relief in fuel-related costs in 2019, according to an August 2018 J.P. Morgan forecast. “While geopolitical tensions and lingering risks of large supply disruptions remain an upside risk, we think that prices will be corrected downwards towards end of the year and remain capped in 2019,” J.P. Morgan analyst Abhishek Deshpande wrote in the note reported by CNBC. This is important for golf where oil prices and those of oil by-products, including fertilizer, have direct budgetary impacts. For budgeting purposes, managers should watch oil futures. One can expect higher gas prices about six weeks after an increase in oil futures.

Henry DeLozier is a principal in the Global Golf Advisors consultancy. DeLozier joined Global Golf Advisors in 2008 after nine years as the vice president of golf for Pulte Homes. He is currently Chairman of the Board of Directors of Audubon International.

Found Gold

Fall Prep Guide - 2018 Fall Planning Guide

Early Order Programs allow superintendents to do more with less and stretch their purchasing power into the next season.

It’s that time of the year again when the mail hits your desk with notices of early order programs (EOPs). These programs are not new, and they have actually spread to many manufacturers as there is value from all sides of the equation. Do your homework to see if an EOP makes sense for your business.

Facilities that will benefit most from utilizing an EOP are those that have been managed like a business and kept good track of purchases and usage over time. Knowing your needs for fertility as well as pest control products allows the superintendent to align products with potential usage. Volumes are going to be dictated by history on that particular golf course. A typical golf course would and should have an agronomic program established by calendar year or fiscal year, because it allows for a correlation of product needs with costs that will fit into the budget.

Doing more with less has been a theme for the last decade. Costs of materials increase along with new products that rarely are more affordable than what we used a decade ago. Taking that into consideration, it is an absolute necessity for golf courses to find the best values to provide optimal plant health and adequate coverage of potential pest problems. If a superintendent could save as much as 40 percent by using an early order program, then it makes sense to do so. While it seems like a no-brainer, there are actually several things the superintendent must take into consideration.

EOP’s

While EOPs vary by manufacturer — and some are even distributor-driven — they have several main points.

Fall is the time of the year they are mostly offered

It is not always all the products in the manufacturer line but some high-volume products along with some slower moving products

There are deadlines

There may be terms for payment

There may be terms for delivery

Discounts are driven by the amount you purchase

Pros and Cons

While EOPs may not be for everybody, they surely will work for most golf courses and make a lot of sense. It will take some selling to the financial side of the club to establish the process. Know that similar programs are in effect for merchandise purchases for the pro shop as well.

Something to keep in mind is not just the budget of your department, but also the budget of the overall club. An often-overlooked term is cash flow and knowing when EOP payments are due will establish whether or not your club has the cash flow or would need to borrow money to pay for goods. If the cost to borrow money is greater than the discount received, then it doesn’t make a lot of sense to do it. Most EOPs do not require payment until spring or summer when most facilities are up and running and the cash register is ringing.

Another consideration is whether or not you have the facilities to store your EOP purchases. Some distributors will take care of this for you, but they only have so much space in their warehouses so be sure you fully understand when the product would be delivered. There is economy in volume, so most distributors would want to move your product in bulk once it comes from the manufacturer. This will vary but be sure you have the room.

SELLING THE EOP TO YOUR GOLF COURSE

Have a full understanding of your EOP before approaching the general manager or the club controller. Realize that there are multiple programs and it will surely take some paperwork to process these orders. Laying it out on paper will help to prove the value of an EOP.

The potential of a 10 to 40 percent savings on $80,000 worth of product would mean $8,000 to $32,000 in savings. Surely some courses would be buying more than that, but using that example would be enough to get the interest of management and owners.

Due to the scientific nature of our business, it is rare that decision makers really understand the products that we use but they surely understand their expense. After labor, benefits and water, the next largest expenses in the budget are normally fertilizers and pest control products. Show management your business acumen by matching your agronomic plan with your business plan for the golf course.

HOW MUCH SHOULD I PURCHASE ON THE EOP?

There must be a good business reason for the manufacturer to offer an EOP. As we know, it is a competitive business. Once one manufacturer has had success in increasing its market share, others evaluate it and get on board. However, it must make good business sense as well.

WHAT ADVANTAGE IS THERE FOR THE MANUFACTURER?

When a manufacturer can plan out their runs of product, it creates efficiencies in their operation. When shipping is done efficiently, it also reduces costs. Manufacturers want to lock in your business for the year if possible. Most manufacturers are not only in the turf business, but they also sell in ornamental and agricultural markets. Forecasting for the year ahead helps all those that produce our products.

WHAT ADVANTAGES ARE THERE FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT?

Most EOPs come out in September or October. For our northern superintendents, the heat of the summer is over and it is a good time to reflect on your programs from the prior year. Many courses have a fiscal year that ends Sept. 30, so you will know how you finished the preceding year by the time you order. It allows you to show your skill in creating savings for the facility as well as your department.

WHAT ADVANTAGES ARE THERE FOR THE FACILITY?

I can’t imagine a facility not wanting to save money. This is a great opportunity. Seldom are there any new products coming out that would change an agronomic plan. And if there are, you can save up to 20 percent of your purchases for purchase during the fiscal year. Check your cash flow and maximize your discounts taking ability to pay based on the terms offered you.

WIN-WIN

Taking all the above into consideration it sure looks like a win-win situation for golf courses and those who manufacture our products. It will take some planning, but the benefits will be seen immediately and in years to follow.

Say It Before You Spray It

Fall Prep Guide - 2018 Fall Planning Guide

Review important safety guidelines with your crew to ensure the most impactful fall chemical program.

Preventative and preemergent pesticide spraying is an important part of a turf manager’s fall program. And just as an ounce of prevention pays off big dividends in the condition and quality of spring turf, so does reviewing important safety guidelines with your crew about the proper application of those chemicals.

Here are three important safety issues to consider before spraying pesticides this fall.

Right product for the task

I don’t know if you’ll change anyone’s mind if they are already convinced that pesticides are dangerous, but if you explain how you only use products that have been thoroughly tested and approved for use on golf courses, at least they’ll know you’re doing your due diligence in selecting the safest products. Following pesticide labels is not only the law, it is the only way to assure the product is safe to use, not only for the plant, but for your employees, golfers and the environment. You may be tempted to “bump the rate up a little,” but as a major manufacturer of golf course pesticides reminded me, their products are designed to work best at labeled rates and application intervals. Furthermore, it is difficult for manufacturers to support applications of products outside of label recommendations. They’ve done a lot of research to make sure their products do the job they are intended for.

Properly maintain and calibrate your spray equipment

One of the key factors in handling pesticides safely is controlling your exposure to the concentrated product and the spray solution. In the court case mentioned above, the groundskeeper claimed that once, while spraying, a hose broke, covering him with Roundup spray solution. This is the kind of accident that could be prevented if your equipment is properly maintained. You should regularly check your spray equipment for worn hoses, cracked or loose nozzles, and leaking seals or fittings. Also, make sure your pump is operating at the correct pressure for the nozzles you are using.

A boom sprayer is the most accurate and efficient way to apply pesticides to large turf areas. But to safely and effectively spray pesticides with a boom sprayer, it must be properly calibrated, and you should be working within the manufacturer’s recommended spraying parameters. Most of today’s spray rigs have controllers that automatically adjust pressure to maintain a consistent, predetermined spray rate (gallons/1,000 feet or acre).

Assuring the chemical goes where you want it, and not where you don’t want it, reduces exposure to other people and non-targeted areas. Nozzle selection, pressure and speed all affect droplet size and spray drift. Catalogs from nozzle manufacturers have all the information you need to select and use the right nozzle for your situation. Look for a nozzle that produces the largest droplet (to reduce drift), but still provides the coverage you need for the product to work. Some products need to cover (and stick) to the entire leaf blade, while others need to get down to the crown or be watered in. Regardless of nozzles, pressure and speed, you should always avoid spraying in high winds.

Using a boom skirt that surrounds all the nozzles is a great way to control drift and keep your application on target. For ultimate control of your spray solution, you should consider taking advantage of the most recent innovations in sprayer technology. GPS-guided systems turn individual nozzles on and off automatically based on previously mapped areas on the golf course. This helps guarantee your pesticides are applied only to the target turf areas as well as potentially reducing the total amount of product used.

Handle pesticides correctly and safely

When OSHA adopted the Hazard Communication Standard in 1983, golf course turf managers started putting together MSDS books and added hazardous materials training to their safety programs. The stated purpose of the Hazard Communication standard was to provide employees access to information about any hazardous materials they may be exposed to at work, and train them to recognize the release of these material into the work area. Properly training your crew to work with and around pesticides goes way beyond that notion.

Before an employee begins work, they should be informed that potentially harmful pesticides (and other hazardous materials) are used on the course. Every crew member should feel safe with the pesticides they work with and around. That means training your employees to have an awareness of the potential health hazards and understand the precautions necessary to reduce or eliminate those risks. If you’re not holding a pesticide/hazardous materials training class for new employees and an annual refresher for the full crew, you should put one together now.

Mickey McCord is the founder of McCord Golf Services and Safety, providing safety training for superintendents and turf maintenance crews.

Earn That Budget Increase

Fall Prep Guide - 2018 Fall Planning Guide

Overcome these three common setbacks and get your ownership to invest in your program, rather than resist.

There is an old saying that goes like this: The owner of our course has deep pockets (a lot of money). Unfortunately, his pockets are so deep he can’t reach the money! Every golf course superintendent has encountered a few setbacks when asking for a budget increase. It seems there are many reasons to cut a budget, but there are relatively few reasons to increase one. To earn a budget increase, a superintendent must overcome the initial reasons for rejection. These obstacles must be systematically removed and replaced with the benefits of choosing to properly invest in the program rather than resist. Let’s take a look at three common budget increase obstacles.

Empty-Wallet Syndrome

The first obstacle to earning a budget increase is there is no more money. You can overcome this by simply qualifying the actual ask. Is it a budget increase or is it a reallocation of funds, perhaps connected to a Return on Investment (ROI)? It is always easier to sell the reallocation of funds without decreasing the bottom line profit. Owners evaluate a healthy business by profit not productivity. Justification of an ROI or reallocation is critical to earning the financial trust to make a budget change. You must create an easy to understand Return on Investment (ROI) or reallocation plan that shows the bottom line impact of the change. Can you show that by spending the money now that you will actually recoup the money in the future? For example, if an application of plant growth regulator costs $1,000 but it is not currently in the budget. However, the application will save labor in mowing and blowing costs as well as improve the playing conditions while reducing the wear and tear on the fairway mower. These savings equate to $1,000 within the use period effectively having an ROI of one month as well as the added benefit of better playing conditions. It is a no-brainer, simply prove the value and its impact on the operation and consistently deliver the projected results and you can have more control over the budget.

Profit Buster

The second obstacle to earning a budget increase is the negative impact the action has on bottom line profit. This is a big one because unlike an actual ROI or reallocation now we intend to impact the bottom line profit. Sometimes the way to approach this obstacle is by asking for a budget increase, but go beyond the simple accounting equation to show the need and value of extra expense. Let’s say you ask for $4,000 dollars for a critical fungicide application to greens or an irrigation pump repair in mid-summer and the answer is, no, we cannot afford the expense. However, the same request posed as an insurance policy to protect the greens valued at $400,000 may open closed minds. The philosophy is that there are times when expenses are beyond profitability (no budget increase) and then there are times when expenses are critical to the survival of the core product (budget increase approved). By not repairing the irrigation pump during the critical watering season or forgoing a fungicide application while disease pressure is high, you risk certain large-scale expense (turf loss/replacement). It is the proverbial lesser of two evils and even the toughest owner can see the clear choice: spend the money even if it seems as much an insurance policy as an agronomic practice. Your ability to communicate the criticality of a need versus a want is key to earning a critical budget increase.

Rob Peter, Pay Paul

The last obstacle is robbing Peter to pay Paul obstacle. In short, if you ask for and receive the $4,000 in the above example for irrigation pump repair, then you are asked to recover the money by year end from other line items such as labor, sand or fuel (the actual obstacle). The fact is that something must suffer for something to be repaired. In fact, the current critical issue is usually an item that previously suffered from the lack proper financial/mechanical maintenance. Perhaps the regular irrigation pump maintenance expense had been overlooked to offset a previous fungicide or fertilizer expense. Do you see how robbing Peter to pay Paul sets in motion an inevitable day of reckoning that is often more costly than the initial need had it been addressed in a timely manner? Do you think the owner or financial manager sees the correlation? The key to overcoming this obstacle is to show the true cost of deferring the other items. Sure, we could save on fuel, we just cannot mow to the established standard for a few months or maybe no one will notice if we do not topdress greens this summer. I have found that giving owners and financial managers the cause and effect of taking away resources to cover other needed expenses is effective in earning a budget increase. You will need real numbers and quantified scenarios that are presented in a professional manner. Persevere, never stop teaching the wisdom of an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, especially on a golf course.

There is nothing easy about earning a budget increase, but these strategies have helped many superintendents overcome the obstacles and reap the rewards of a bigger budget.

Anthony Williams, CGCS, is the director of golf course maintenance and landscaping at the Four Seasons Resort Club Dallas at Las Colinas in Irving, Texas.